This invention relates to a shock absorbing spacer for spacing a tethered boat from a dock so that shock forces such as those caused by waves, wind, rising water and the like will be prevented from causing the boat to collide with the dock.
Devices for the purpose of shock absorption and spacing have been used in association with boats for as long as there have been boats and there has always, as well, been a search for a better device.
The most simple and common device used is the simple soft plastic or rope bumper that is suspended over the side of the boat to hang between the dock and the boat for spacing the two apart. The bumper will always have its use but it is not an efficient spacer for a boat with a fine finish. In the case of a fine finish, surface damage to the boat""s hull is inevitable.
Further to the simple bumper, the telescoping shock absorber type of spacer has been tried in many forms but prior constructions of this type are not in general use. The constructions available use shock absorbing features which rely on metal springs. They have not proved to be satisfactory for marine use. They are not rugged enough for exposure to water and weather encountered in boating conditions and do not satisfactorily soften impact forces.
This invention relates to is an improved spacer of the telescopic type. The essence of the improvement is the avoidance of metal spring means of shock absorption, while still incorporating simple and inexpensive component parts. The invention employs a resilient length of cord to absorb shock. The cord is not affected by the wet conditions of boating and the unit has the ruggedness long sought after in the telescopic type of shock absorber. The construction is simple, rugged and inexpensive to make. It is easy to use and effectively protects a tethered boat from the harm of being dashed against the side of a dock by shock forces of wind, waves and rising water levels.
It is an object of this invention to provide a docking spacer of the telescoping type that performs better under the adverse moisture conditions of boating.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a docking spacer that is simple to manufacture and easy to maintain.
It is a further object to provide a docking spacer that inexpensive.
With these and other objects in view an boat spacer according to one aspect of this invention comprises a shock absorbing docking spacer to space a tethered boat from dockside. It comprises an elongated body having two tubular sections moveable longitudinally of each other to define spacer length, one of said sections being connectable to a boat and the other of said sections being connectable to a dock; a resilient cord connected at one of its ends to one of said sections and at the other of its ends to the other of said sections to be tensioned as the sections move longitudinally of each other due to shock forces in use to reduce spacer length, said cord having a resilience as aforesaid to absorb shock forces on the boat that reduce the spacer length in use, and to reassert itself and restore spacer length when shock forces are removed.